The Love of a Father
by Above the Winter Moonlight
Summary: Vader’s thoughts during the confrontation on the Death Star 2 up until his death, my first Star Wars oneshot so please review and tell me what you think.


The Love of a Father by xBlaze of FuryX

Vader's thoughts during the confrontation on the Death Star 2 up until his death, my first Star Wars oneshot so please review and tell me what you think.

**Title:** The Love of a Father

**Author:** xBlaze of FuryX

**Genre:** Angst/Hurt/Comfort

**Rating: **T for safety though it's more likely a K +

**Summary:** Vader's thoughts during the confrontation on the Death Star 2 up until his death.

**Author's Note:** Well, this is my first oneshot and I hope you like it.

Vader's POV

Did I really have to suffer like this? I could feel the pain course throughout my body even before the Force lightening hit Luke. I could hear the screams of pain echo through the Force even before Luke began to scream. Was this what I was meant to watch? This could not be my destiny, I could, should not, be destined to watch Luke suffer such pain.

I could hear Palpatine's voice even as I tried to get to my feet. Palpatine was angry, I could hear it in his voice. "So be it then," the Emperor hissed and lashed out with his evil Sith lightening.

The pain was strong and I felt it grow stronger inside of me even though it had barely hit Luke as it was. Luke screamed in pain, collapsing onto the ground and struggling to fight off the angry lightening strikes.

The pain was more than I could bear but I still could not decide what to do. In my mind, Anakin and Vader were fighting, fighting for dominance even as my son was dying.

_My son! _The last thing I had left of Padmé, the last gift she had left me before she died. I know I have a daughter and all but if Luke failed here, Palpatine would destroy Endor and my daughter along with it. Everything ridded on Luke surviving this and even as I thought of this, Luke's life Force was slowly fading away.

"And now, you will die," Palpatine hissed scornfully before lashing out with his lightening, increasing the power of the Sith lightening, digging deeper into the dark side of the Force. I stood up before walking to stand behind the Emperor, my mind was still fighting.

Anakin seemed to be winning out over Vader within my mind and I suddenly heard a voice, a voice scream, "Father, please, help me!" I could not be sure if the voice was yelled through the Force or if it was yelled out loud. I only knew for certain that it was the sound of my beloved son's voice.

My beloved son whom was dying because I could not decide what to do, I had to do something. I could not let my son die at the hands of Palpatine even if my own life was forfeited to save his. I had to do something and I had a feeling I knew what that was.

In that single instant, a single thought came into my mind. Anakin had won out against Vader and pushed the darkness within me away. The light once again shone within me and I knew what I had to do. Stepping forward and using a strength I never knew I had, I picked up Palpatine and held him over my head.

Palpatine screeched in fury and pain as the lightening cascaded down on him, it hit me as well but I felt no pain. I knew what I had to do. I knew what I should have done in the first place. This was the only way, even if my life was sacrificed in the process, I didn't care. All I cared about was saving my son and this was the only way I could do it.

I walked toward the walk before tossing Palpatine down into the main energy shaft of the Death Star before collapsing beside the railings as a loud and bright explosion of pure blue light shot through the energy shaft.

I knew my respirator had been damaged from the force of the lightening and I knew that I had only a short time. I turned my head slightly when I felt someone come to my side. I saw Luke staring down at me and after that, everything seemed to blur.

I distantly remember getting to my feet and trying to follow Luke as he struggled to carry me out of the Death Star 2 before it blew. I knew it was only a matter of time before I became one with the Force but still Luke moved on.

He must have gotten his stubbornness from his mother but I had to admit, I was proud of him, as any father would be about their son.

Everything blurred before me as Luke continued to struggle to help me out of the contraption we were currently in. I knew I couldn't help that much, I didn't even have the strength to support my own weight. Luke had to support me and I knew that I was heavier than he was.

I couldn't be sure if it was a miracle or not that we had managed to make it to my shuttle before I finally collapsed. Luke knelt down beside him and I could see the sadness in his eyes.

"Luke, help me take this mask off," I rasped out, knowing that I was going to die anyway but I wanted to see my son and not through the dark tint of the mask that Palpatine had made me wear.

"But you'll die," Luke protested.

"Nothing can stop that now," I whispered in a rasping voice. "But just for once, I want to look upon my son with my own eyes."

I could see tears come to Luke's eyes but he did as I told him and took off the mask. The air that hit my skin caused it to burn but once again, I felt no pain, I felt only peace and serenity. I managed a small smile as I gazed up at my beloved son with the same blue eyes as his own.

"Go, my son, leave me here," I rasped out.

"No, I will not leave you, I've got to save you," Luke protested just as tears started to cascade down his face. I had the sudden urge to wipe those tears away but I hardly had the strength to go on breathing. I knew my time was coming, it was rapidly approaching.

There were so many things I wanted to say to Luke but I knew I could not. I was running out of time and Luke was running out of time as well. Soon the Alliance would blow the Death Star 2 up and I did not want Luke on it. I wanted my son to live, to go on with his life and shape his future into anything he wanted it to be. I could not let him die here no matter what the cost would be.

"You already have," I rasped out. "You were right, Luke." My vision started to fade and I knew my time had come. "Tell your sister, you were right," I whispered before closing my eyes and resting my head on the ramp of the shuttle.

I sighed even as Luke continued to cry, tears cascading down his face. As I became one with the Force, I sent out one thought through the Force, one I was sure he would receive. One last message from a father to a son.

_I love you, my son._

**A/n what do you think?**

**Blaze: (crying) that was so sad**

**Darth: (crying as well and dabbing his eyes with a tissue) that was sad**

**Tigerstar: (also crying even though cats can't cry) wahhhh!**

**Blaze: (sniffs) that was my first shot at an angst/hurt/comfort oneshot and I can't believe I started crying while I was writing it**

**Tigerstar: I started crying at the very beginning**

**Darth: I started crying during the death scene**

**Blaze: (sniffs and wipes tears from her eyes) please review and tell me what you think of my first angst/hurt/comfort oneshot.**


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